RESPIRATORY STRUCTURES & BREATHING MECHANISMS IN HUMAN AND ANIMALS

Common characteristics of respiratory structures

Moist (gaseous dissolving & diffusion) Thin (rapid diffusion) Large surface area per volume Network of blood capillaries beneath the respiratory surfaces.

x
x
length (cm) 1 2 3 4 5 6
Surface area (cm2)

x
Volume (cm3) Surface area per volume (cm -1 )

6 24 54 96 150 216

1 8 27 64 125 216

6 3 2 1.5 1.2 1

Protozoa (amoeba), which has no specialised respiratory structure, gases diffuse in or out over its entire Plasma membrane due to a large SA : V ratio.

The Tracheal system of an insect consists of the trachea, tracheole, and Spiracle. Air reaches the body cells via an elaborated system of branching tubes called tracheole. Air enters the tracheae through a series of openings along the sides of the body called spiracles. Reinforced with the chitin, the tracheae are subdivided into numerous tiny tracheoles. The tracheoles have moist, thin permeable walls and are in intimate contact with the body cells. Oxygen dissolves in the moist found in the tracheoles and passes directly to the body of cells through diffusion.

During Inhalation, the bony fish opens its mouth and lowers the floor of the mouth. The pressure inside the mouth falls below that of the external pressure. This causes water to enter the mouth. At the same time, it causes the operculum to press against the body. Gaseous exchange occurs as water flows past the grills. Water then passes out through the operculum . The operculum opens due to increased the pressure in the mouth.

Floor of the mouth lower

During inspiration, the nostrils open, the mouth closes, the glottis closes and the floor of the mouth cavity is lowered. This decrease the air pressure inside the mouth cavity. As the result, air is drawn thorough the nostrils into the mouth cavity. The nostrils close and the floor of the mouth cavity is raised to force the air through the glottis into the lungs. The lungs expand and gaseous exchange takes place. During expiration, the nostrils open. The muscles of the body wall contracts to force the air from the lungs to the mouth cavity and nostrils.

COMPARING HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM WITH THAT OF OTHER ORGANISMS

PROTOZOA
Type of external environment Aquatic

INSECT
Dry land

FISH
Aquatic

AMFIBIAN
Aquatic and land Oxygen dissolved in water and atmospheric Oxygen Skin, buccal cavity, lungs Alveolus Numerous alveoli in lungs, skin surface area and buccal cavity Thin and moist skin and alveolus

HUMAN
Dry land

Source of oxygen

Oxygen dissolved in water

No special structure None

Atmospheric Oxygen

Oxygen dissolved in water

Atmospheric oxygen

Main respiratory structure Air sac

trachea In certain types of insects Extensive network of tracheoles supplying oxygen to every body cell Thin tracheoles with fluid at the ends In larger or more active insects, abdominal muscles compress and relax to ventilate the tracheal system

gills None

Lungs Alveolus Numerous alveoli, curvature and spherical shape of alveolus Thin and moist epithelial layer in alveolus

High SA : V ratio achieved by Respiratory surface (for gaseous exchange)

Being unicellular

Gill filament dan gill lamellae

Entire thin and moist plasma membrane

Gill lamellae

Respiratory mechanism

none

Movement of buccul floor and operculum

Inspiration and expiration

Inspiration and expiration

PROTOZOA

INSECT

FISH

AMFIBIAN

HUMAN

Passage of respiratory gases

Water plasma membrane cytoplasm

Spiracle trachea tracheoles body cells

Mouth buccal cavity gill filaments lamella operculum opening

Nostril buccal cavity glottis bronchus lungs alveoli

Nostril nasal cavity pharynx glottis larynx trachea bronchus bronchiole alveolus

Blood capillary network underneath respiratory surface Gas circulatory system

None

None

Present in lamella

Present in skin, buccal cavity and alveolus.

Blood circulatory system

Present in alveolus

None

Tracheal system

Blood circulatory system

Blood circulatory system.

Inspiration

Expiration

Inspiration The external intercostals muscles relax while internal intercostals muscles contract, this raising the ribs upwards and outward. At the same time, the diaphragm muscles contract and flatten. Both actions above increase the volume of the rib cage, causing its pressure to decreases. Since atmospheric pressure is greater, air is drawn lungs the lungs and they inflate.